How to Do Military Sit Ups

To pass the Army physical fitness test, men and women must be able to perform 53 sit ups - 72 to achieve an "excellent" rating. A sit up is disqualified if it's not executed using the proper form. See Step 1 and beyond to learn how to do sit ups according to the high standards of the US military.

Steps

Getting in the Starting Position

Lie with your back on the floor. Get on a completely flat surface either on an exercise mat or outside on the grass.
Bend your knees at a 90˚ angle. Your feet should be flat on the ground, separated by no more than .^[1]
- During the military test, someone will hold your feet or ankles in position. Get a partner to hold your feet in order to simulate the actual test.
- The heel is the only part of your foot that must maintain contact with the ground. You can raise up your toes if you want.^[2]
Lace your fingers behind your head. They need to stay laced throughout your set of sit ups; if you remove them from this position at any time, that rep will be disqualified.

Performing a Sit Up

Raise your torso to a vertical position. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your body until the base of your neck is above the base of your spine. Stop when the bend in your hips is at a 90˚ angle.
- Do not arch your back. It should remain straight.
- Do not raise your buttocks off the ground to raise your body.
- Do not let your knees exceed a 90 degree angle.^[3]
Lower your back until your shoulder blades touch the ground. Use a steady motion; Do not let yourself bounce back up, and do not rest when you reach starting position.
Repeat. Use the exact same motion and do at least 55 push ups. If you rest on the ground, you'll have to start over completely. Any single rep can be disqualified from your final count if you do the following:
- Fail to lift your upper body to a vertical position
- Bow your back
- Exceed 90 degrees with your knees
- Fail to keep your fingers locked behind your head
- Raise your buttocks off the ground.

Passing the Sit Up Test

Complete the correct number of reps. To pass this portion of the fitness test, do at least 53 sit up repetitions per set if you are between 17 and 21 years old.^[4] If you're between 22 and 26, do at least 43 reps.
Train by doing more sets than required. When you train, simply continue the exercise until muscle failure occurs. Repeat until you've completed 4 sets. There should be no more than 1 minute of rest between each set.
Train several times a week. In order to start seeing/feeling results, aim to do 4 sets 3 days a week for 6 weeks. For faster results, increase the number of sets/times per week you do this exercise.
Work toward excellence. If you're able to make it to 72 perfect sit ups, you'll receive a score of 90 points and a rating of "excellent" for this exercise. If you're good at sit ups, work your hardest to receive the highest rating you can achieve.

Video

Tips

When you start sit-ups, use the bottom of a bed with your feet under it, so you do not need a partner to hold your feet down. This is great when traveling.
The benefits of this exercise are increased strength and flexibility in your hip flexors and core muscles.
At least two of your abdominal training sessions should be at the end of strength-training workouts. Do leg lifts, reverse crunches, and regular crunches for 3 sets of 15 reps each. Rest no more than 30 seconds between sets. ^[5]

Warnings

Potential injuries to your back and neck may be incurred if this exercise is performed incorrectly.
Those with poor balance should be careful when performing this exercise.

Things You Need

Exercise mat (optional)

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Sources and Citations

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